Jeppe Clinic shuts down after R3m renovations fail to make it safe

The Department of Infrastructure Development paid R3-million to contractors to fix Jeppe Clinic which was posing a safety risk to staff and patients. The clinic is now being shut down amid allegations by the DA that the contractors failed to do a good job.

The Jeppe Street clinic will be closing down after the recent R3-million renovations failed to eliminate health risks to staff and patients at the facility.

The DA now wants a forensic investigation to probe alleged corruption in the refurbishment project.

In a written reply to the DA Gauteng Shadow's Health MEC, Jack Bloom, Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa said the ‘infrastructural issues’ posed a health risk to staff and patients.”

She said the clinic’s management took a decision to close the facility because of “infrastructural issues that were identiﬁed have resurfaced.”

The Star understands that the staff at the clinic staff will be moved to the 18th Avenue clinic in Alexandra and patients will be redirected to the Essellen Clinic and the Hillbrow Community Health Centre.

Bloom said he was shocked by such a decision.

“I am dismayed that so much money was wasted on contractors hired by the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) who were unable to do a good job to fix this clinic,” he said.

Bloom said the DID was known for “choosing building companies that charge too much and fail to deliver, with strong indications of corruption.”

Bloom said it was not the first that the clinic closed. He said the clinic was initially closed in 2012 for a R2 million renovation.

"The closure of the clinic will have a great impact on about 2500 patients who used it every month and this means patients will have to travel to get treatment," he said.

Staff members and patients had for some time been complaining about the old dilapidated facilities, saying it was no longer fit to house a public health facility. The walls were mouldy, smelt bad, and the ceiling leaked. At some point, some of the workers refused to go in the building the whole day because of the unhealthy conditions.